Battling Geraint Jones leads recovery to get Kent back on track

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Jones hit 80 from 136 balls to steady Kent, who were 93 for fiveTimes photographer,Graham Morris

Mark Baldwin

Published at 12:01AM, September 5 2012

Canterbury (first day of four; Kent won toss): Derbyshire, with nine first-innings wickets in hand, are 229 runs behind Kent

Geraint Jones, becoming only the tenth Kent cricketer to play 100 consecutive championship matches for the county — the last to do so was Ray Dovey in 1952 — played the innings yesterday that may persuadethe club to grant him the contract extension he wants.

Jones, the former England wicketkeeper, began his uninterrupted run of appearances in August 2006, five months before he won the last of his 34 Test caps in Australia, and Kent were glad again of his undiminished ability with the bat after they had stuttered to 93 for five against impressive and highly disciplined Derbyshire bowling.